Memories
by Caitlin5
Summary: Hermione and Ron's point of view on what happened when the Dementor's came aboard the Hogwarts Express in third year.
1. Default Chapter

Memories - Hermione  
  
Hermione picked up her heavy Arithmancy book, she had read it already but it could hardly hurt to go over some of its chapters once again. Then again there was always her Ancient Runes textbook and her Muggle Studies book was just waiting to be read.  
  
Ron, who had decided to lean over her, in order to get a better view of outside, interrupted her thoughts. 'We must be nearly there,' he said impatiently, Hermione was about to tell him they wouldn't be arriving at Hogwarts for at least another hour when the train began to slow down.  
  
'Brilliant' said Ron standing up and walking over to the other side of Hermione. 'I'm starving, I want to get to the feast.'  
  
'We can't be there yet,' Hermione said checking her watch, she couldn't help feeling uneasy as the train seemed to slow down even further until it finally came to a halt.  
  
'So why are we stopping?' said Ron triumphantly.  
  
'I wish I knew' muttered Hermione.  
  
The rain sounded even louder now as it beat against the window. Harry stood up and walked to the compartment door, he stuck his head out and Ron joined him. Then, without warning the lights flickered and died out, throwing the train into complete darkness. Hermione jumped up and fumbled for her wand.  
  
'What's going on?' said Ron taking a step towards her.  
  
'Ouch!' she gasped. 'Ron that was my foot!'  
  
'Sorry' he whispered, and then in a louder voice 'D'you think we've broken down?'  
  
'Dunno.' said Harry, he had obviously returned to his seat judging by the direction his voice came from.  
  
Ron started towards the window and Hermione suddenly feeling apprehensive grabbed his hand, he jumped slightly but reassuringly squeezed her hand and led her over to the other side of the compartment. He used the sleave of his robe to rub a clean patch on the window.  
  
'There's something moving out there,' Ron said. 'I think people are coming aboard.'  
  
Hermione almost jumped out of her skin when the compartment door opened, at any rate she dropped Ron's hand.  
  
'Sorry! D'you know what's going on? Ouch! Sorry -'  
  
'Hullo, Neville,' said Harry and Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. As her eyes grew accustomed to the dark she could make out the shadowy figure of Neville sprawled on the floor.  
  
'Harry? Is that you? What's happening?' Neville said shakely.  
  
'No idea!' said Harry pulling Neville up. 'Sit down -'  
  
The next thing Hermione heard was a loud hissing and Neville yelping in pain. Hermione quickly realised what had happened; Neville had sat on Crookshanks.  
  
However she would worry about poor Crookshanks later. 'I'm going to ask the driver what's going on' Hermione said, trying to sound confident. Just as she was reaching out to open the door it burst open for a second time and someone banged into her.  
  
Hermione rubbed her stomach 'Who's that?'  
  
'Who's that?' said a familiar voice.  
  
'Ginny?'  
  
'Hermione?'  
  
'What are you doing?'  
  
'I was looking for Ron -'  
  
'Come in and sit down-'  
  
Ginny sat down abruptly, unfortunately Harry was in the way.  
  
'Not here!' he said hurriedly. 'I'm here!'  
  
Hermione could almost see Ginny blushing scarlet. She moved away quickly and straight into Neville. 'Ouch!'  
  
'Quiet!' said a croaky voice. Hermione looked to see who had spoken, Professor Lupin was awake.  
  
Everyone went silent as the Professor's face appeared, lit by a handful of flames. He looked even more tired in the dull glow emitting from the flames. His eyes were alert though, 'Stay where you are' he said, slowly getting to his feet.  
  
Lupin was almost at the door when it began to slide open, slowly revealing someone... or something. Standing in the door was a cloaked figure, its face hidden by a thick hood. Hermione let out a slow gasp, she had read about these things. The cloak slid back off one of its arms and a putrid, disgusting hand slid out. It was a Dementor.  
  
Hermione sank down into a seat her head filled with fog and as if through a radio came a crackling voice. She knew what was coming she had read about that to. The voice in her head became a bit clearer, it was herself, but what was her worst memory.  
  
She could now make out words. 'Ron, Ron, Please don't be dead, Ron you have to wake up this isn't funny, we have to go get Dumbledore. Ron wake up, you can't be dead I need you here, Ron!' The Hermione in her head was now sobbing, it was a memory of her first year, when Harry, Ron and herself had gone through the trapdoor. Her memory was from the brief period of time when she had thought Ron was really dead.  
  
Then her head began to clear, Ron was holding her hand and she could hear Lupin performing a spell to make the Dementor leave. She swallowed her tears, 'Are you alright?' Ron said worriedly 'I was forced to re-live Aragog' he pulled a face and Hermione forced a laugh.  
  
'Yer, I flashed back to when I saw the Basilisk' she quickly lied. Ron smiled at her and pulled her to her feet as the lights flickered on. Everyone seemed to be fine, Ginny was shaking though, and then her eyes fell on Harry. His face was strained and his eyes were glazed over, Hermione wasn't sure what to do. Then Harry collapsed onto the floor and started shaking. Ron grabbed Hermione's hand and they both leapt to his side, and knelt down next to him.  
  
'Harry, c'mon snap out of it' said Ron helplessly. Hermione tried to think of a spell to help, then realising she knew none, did the next best thing, she started slapping his face. As she did so his body stopped shaking. Hermione caught Ron's eyes over Harry's still body and she smiled weakly, 'Brilliant' he mouthed as Harry's eyes snapped open.  
  
Hermione actually managed a real smile, Ron was alive and here with her, things could hardly be as bad as they seemed. 


	2. Memories Ron

Memories - Ron  
  
Ron's stomach growled 'We must be nearly there,' he said glancing at Hermione's watch. She looked as though she was going to say something to him when the train began to slow down. 'Brilliant' said Ron standing up, 'I'm starving, I want to get to the feast.'  
  
He was busy fantasising about plates of hot food when a puzzled looking Hermione said 'We can't be there yet.'  
  
Ron almost rolled his eyes, 'So why are we stopping?' he said as the train shuddered to a halt. The look on Hermione's face however stopped him from saying anything further.  
  
Ron saw Harry get up and walk over to the compartment door, curiosity getting the better of him Ron followed. He craned his neck over Harry's head but all he glimpsed were the worried faces of other students poking out of the compartments along the hall. Ron stepped back from the door and before he had a chance to get back to his seat the train lights went out and he managed to trip and stub his toe. He swore softly so that Hermione wouldn't hear him.  
  
Ron rubbed his toe 'What's going on?' he said uncertainly taking a step backwards and trying to locate his seat.  
  
Hermione must have moved closer to him and Harry since the lights had gone out because he stepped on what he suspected was her foot. His thoughts were confirmed when her voice gasped 'Ouch!, Ron that was my foot!'  
  
'Sorry' he said sheepishly. Then - mainly because he could think of no other reason for the train stopping he said - 'D'you think we've broken down?'  
  
'Dunno.' said Harry returning to his seat without incident.  
  
Ron checked that Hermione's feet were out of harms way and began walking towards the window. He had taken no more than three steps when Hermione's hand reached out and grabbed his own. Ron - out of shock - jumped slightly, then hoping Hermione hadn't noticed, he quickly squeezed her hand in what he hoped was a reassuring way. Ron then remembered where he was headed - the window. He walked over to it, Hermione following, and rubbed a clean patch on it so he could see what was happening outside.  
  
Ron strained his eyes 'There's something moving out there,' he finally said. 'I think people are coming aboard.'  
  
Then as if on cue the door opened, Ron felt Hermione pull away, a part of him wished she hadn't.  
  
Neville's scared voice echoed through the compartment, 'Sorry! D'you know what's going on? Ouch! Sorry -' He appeared to have tripped over Harry.  
  
'Hullo, Neville' Harry said helping him up off the floor.  
  
'Harry? Is that you? What's happening?'  
  
'No idea! Sit down -'  
  
There was a great yelp of pain and a furry figure jumped down off of Hermione's recently vacated seat. Poor Neville had sat on Crookshank's.  
  
'I'm going to ask the driver what's going on' said Hermione, sounding calm despite the situation. She swept past Ron and was opening the door when a small figure burst through it.  
  
Ron had to listen carefully to make out the conversation that followed.  
  
'Who's that?'  
  
'Who's that?'  
  
'Ginny?'  
  
'Hermione?'  
  
'What are you doing?'  
  
'I was looking for Ron -'  
  
'Come in and sit down-'  
  
Ron felt guilty when he realised he had forgotten about Ginny, he was relieved she was alright. However that didn't stop him from quietly laughing when she sat on Harry.  
  
Then Ron heard a hoarse male voice coming from behind him ('Quiet!') Professor Lupin was awake.  
  
There was a small crackling sound and the Professor's face appeared illuminated by what appeared to be a handful of flames. He looked - if possible - more tired than before, but he managed to hold the occupants of the compartment in rapt silence. 'Stay where you are' he said standing up.  
  
Lupin was barely a foot away from the door when it began to slide open revealing a hooded figure. Ron drew in a deep breath, even before the deformed hand appeared from underneath the robe, he knew what that thing was, a Dementor.  
  
He had heard from his Dad what these creatures did. They forced you to re- live the worst thing that had ever happened to you. Ron swayed a little and had to steady himself, he knew what was happening. Ron expected to hear Aragog, in his eyes, things didn't come worse than a giant spider trying to eat you. However the only voice he could hear in his head was his own. He sounded upset and he appeared to be saying the same thing over and over.  
  
Ron's surroundings blurred a little and he was able to hear the voice more clearly. 'Hermione, I know you can't hear me but you need to know that I miss you and that. I need you here.' The voice in his head was two octaves higher than it should have been. This was Ron in his second year, he remembered that particular day very well, he had been sitting next to a petrified Hermione and thinking those exact words.  
  
Harry had also been there that day but he had thought it was completely pointless talking to somebody in Hermione's current state. Ron half agreed, but in that moment he had silently pored his heart out to Hermione. He had never felt more helpless and alone in his life. Deep down Ron knew that Hermione was going to be alright but in that moment he had forgotten, in that moment he was afraid that he might have to live life without Hermione and that terrified him.  
  
Ron was jerked into reality by someone pushing past him it was Lupin. He still felt slightly drowsy but his head cleared enough to register Lupin's next words - 'None of us are hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.'  
  
Ron turned his head and saw Hermione was close to tears, he wondered what she was going through, what memory the Dementor was making her re-live. He reached out and grabbed her hand just as Lupin performed a spell to get rid of the horrible creature. As Ron watched Hermione's eyes slowly cleared - a sure sign that the Dementor's effect on her was fading.  
  
'Are you alright?' Ron asked then when she didn't reply he decided to prompt her a bit further, 'I was forced to re-live -' he quickly said the first thing that came to mind 'Aragog.' He grimaced at how obvious a lie it was but Hermione didn't even notice him pause. Instead she tried to laugh but it sound unnatural and far to high pitched.  
  
'Yer, I flashed back to when I saw the Basilisk' she said softly. Ron held out his hand to help her up and the lights flickered back on. Ron saw Hermione look around the crowded compartment and he did the same. Ginny seemed to be very shaken and she was defiantly on the verge of tears, Neville looked terrified and Lupin wore a grim expression, but Harry. He was sitting stiffly in his seat then right before Ron's eyes he went very rigid and collapsed on the floor twitching. Ron didn't even hesitate, he leapt to Harry's side pulling Hermione along with him.  
  
'Harry, c'mon snap out of it' Ron said fiercely. Hermione seemed at a loss, which made Ron worry even more. Then she dropped her wand and began slapping Harry trying to drag him out of his stupor. It seemed to be working, Harry stopped twitching and eventually went still. Ron looked over Harry at Hermione and catching his eye she managed a weak smile, 'Brilliant' he mouthed, a bit in awe of her.  
  
After that he caught her smiling - for real - and he couldn't help doing the same. Hermione was alive and here with him, things could hardly be as bad as they seemed.  
  
A/N: I was thinking of maybe doing a few more short pieces in this style (Ron and Hermione's point of view) for other events, even small things, for instance what they did when Harry went to talk to Lupin at the end of their third year. If enough people like the idea, I'll write a few more. 


End file.
